"
The locking-up bell began to toll, and the two boys were silent, and
listened to it. The sound soon carried Tom off to the river and the
woods, and he began to go over in his mind the many occasions on which
he had heard that toll coming faintly down the breeze, and had to pack
his rod in a hurry and make a run for it, to get in before the gates
were shut. He was roused with a start from his memories by Arthur's
voice, gentle and weak from his late illness.
"Tom, will you be angry if I talk to you very seriously?"
"No, dear old boy, not I. But ain't you faint, Arthur, or ill? What can
I get you? Don't say anything to hurt yourself now--you are very weak;
let me come up again."
"No, no; I shan't hurt myself. I'd sooner speak to you now, if you don't
mind. I've asked Mary to tell the Doctor that you are with me, so you
needn't go down to calling-over; and I mayn't have another chance, for
I shall most likely have to go home for change of air to get well, and
mayn't come back this half."
"Oh, do you think you must go away before the end of the half? I'm
so sorry. It's more than five weeks yet to the holidays, and all the
fifth-form examination and half the cricket-matches to come yet. And
what shall I do all that time alone in our study? Why, Arthur, it will
be more than twelve weeks before I see you again. Oh, hang it, I can't
stand that! Besides who's to keep me up to working at the examination
books? I shall come out bottom of the form, as sure as eggs is eggs.
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